Karen Smith Welch's Blog

The Amarillo Chamber of Commerce will host its version of speed-connecting for business, Mega Market, on March 21.

The business-to-business networking event will run from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Holiday Inn Amarillo West Medical Center, 8231 W. Amarillo Blvd. in the Point West business campus.

Participants will gather around tables to discuss their products and services in two-minute presentations, before moving to the next table. The idea is to connect with lots of people in a short amount of time.

Employment among young people is at its lowest level since the 1950s, according to a new Kids Count report.

“Youth and Work: Restoring Teen and Young Adult Connections to Opportunity," released earlier this month by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, shows the number of working youth dropped by almost half since 2000.

The report estimates that half of young people ages 16 to 24 held jobs in 2011.

Among teens in that group, just one in four is employed, compared with 46 percent in 2000, the report showed.

James Bond had Q for gadgets, and the Justice League has The Craftsman Technician.

In another act of product placement, Craftsman and DC Entertainment teamed up for a custom comic book based on the tool brand's Bolt-On tool system.

The Technician acts as handyman to the league, which, as all comics fans know, includes Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and The Flash. The villain in the story, obscurely named The Key, tries to steal records from the Hall of Justice while the superheroes are away. The Technician saves the day, using his trusty Bolt-On goods.

Have a recipe that rocks? Enter the company's search for the Ultimate Crock-Pot Crock-Star. Win, and you could wind up with a guest appearance on Cooking Channel's "From the Kitchens Of" for a show to air in January.

Compete by uploading an original recipe with a photo or video of yourself in action. The "Crocktober" contest is open through Oct. 31.

Fans can vote for their favorite recipe from among three top finalists. The voting will take place daily at Crock-Pot.com from Nov. 12-Nov. 25.